past experience of redeeming love, if Christ, in whom his life is hid, were not constantly to impart more grace to him, and grace sufficient for his multiplied necessities.
Brethren, it is to this state of conscious and willing depen- dence upon the Lord Jesus Christ that we wish you to be brought : this is what the Apostle calls " living by faith on the Son of God." This alone answers the end of the Gospel dispensation : this alone honours God, or can bring solid peace into the soul. We pray you to seek this " spirit of faith," and
to abound in it more and more To the Lord Jesus
Christ must you give glory from first to last : it was He who opened your heart, as he did Lydia's of old, to attend to the concerns of your souls ; and He, who was " the Author of your faith, must also be the Finisher." Regard him in this view ; and live upon him in this view ; and give him glory in this view : and the more grateful your acknowledgments to him, the more abundant will be his communications to you, both in time and in eternity.]
But those who partake not of this grace have themselves only to blame —
[God " willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he come to repentance and live." He even condescends1 for our encouragement, to declare this upon oath : "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live." And then he further confirms this by the kindest and most affectionate entreaties ; " Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ? " Let no man think to excuse himself by saying, " If God give me not his grace, how can I help myself? For God offers his grace to every man freely : " Ho ! every one that thirsteth, come to the waters ; come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price!" Our blessed Lord gave a similar invitation; "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink ; and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." In like manner, in the book of Revelation it is written, " The Spirit and the Bride say, Come : and whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely." What will ye say after such invitations as these? Will ye say, We cannot? If ye do, we will tell you, beforehand, our blessed Lord's reply, " Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life."
You are to " seek him : and then he will be found of you." " Seek, and ye shall find," is a rule to you, though it is not to God. He may dispense his blessings to whomsoever he will, and under whatever circumstances : but you must seek his blessings ; and, if you seek them not, you must abide the con- sequences. What those consequences will be, ye may judge